Cane car



Sept. 25, 1928.

J. c. ABEL CANE CAR Filed July 28, 1926 5 Sheets$heet Sept. 25, 1928.

J. C. ABEL CANE CAR Filed July 28, 1926 5 Sheets$heet I I I I I 0 u u 0 W I 19W w Sept. 25, 1928.

J. C. ABEL CANE CAR Filed July 28, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet r Wm MM 1 am m m a "H l W 4 m y l 1 I I r I I I I I I 1 i l i I I J i llnllulll fll Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATfiS FATENT QE F CE...

Josnrrr c. ea or was'rwoon. nsw JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN can AND ropnnR-Y company, or new or H. 1., A CORPORATION or EW JERSEY.

CANE CAR.

Application filed July 28.

The accompanying drawinits illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the. invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described. as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial view ot a side elevation of a cane car bod-v having gates provided with a latching mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation drawn to a larger scale, of: the car body shown in Fig. 1, and showing the latching mechanism, parts of the latching mechanism being shown in section{ 3 is a vertical transverse section. taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to 20f a modifi ed construction of the latching mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. 4, parts being broken aWayto show other parts more clearly;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2- of a mod-i fied construction of the latching mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse Section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6*;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 2 of; a further modification of the latching mechanism, and

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

This invention relates to cane cars and it is an object of this invention to provide a latching means for the side. gates oi" cane cars which may be locked in the {gate-holding position andin which the operation ofthe lock-- ing means to locking position will operate the latch to the gate-holding position. It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of the class described in which the locking means will be placed. in tension by the pressure f-the gate on the latch member. It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved device of the class described which is of simple and durable construction, positive in its operation, inexpensive to manufacture and whieh may be readily applied to cars now in use as well as to new cars.

In the drawings the invention is shown applied to a cane car having an underfranie of suitable construction comprising side sills 1 to which are secured side posts 2 and end 1925. Serial No. 125,442.

posts 3 which support side plates 4. To the s de plates 4 are secured hinge brackets 5 to wh ch pins 6 pivotally secl re t-he upper ends of the vertical members 7. of; thesi de gates 8. The lower ends of the members 7 of each gate are oined by a bottom member 9 Shown as an angle bar having a horiaontal outward- 1y pro ectin g flange. l0 and a vertical downwardly prOJe ti-ngflange 11 which. overlaps the Web12 of the side. sill 1. I I I i To secureeach grate 8 in closedppsition with the bottom member 9 adiacent the side sill i there are provided a plurality of latching mechanisms 14 each oi? which comprises a latch member 1.5 having-a vertical portion. 16 adapted to engage with the downwardlv pro.- 1ect1ng flange 11 ot the bottom. member-92nd which, in the construction shown. in. Figs. 2 and 3, is pivotallv mounted. on a pin l8fcar fled in openings. 19in the side members 20 of a bracket 21. The bracket 521: is secured tothe web 12 of the side sill: by rivets 22 which. pass throu h openings in the. web ot the side si l and in the webv 23 of the. bracket. The side members 20 are also provided with circular openings 24 in which are. mounted bushings 25. having rectangular openings 26 to receive a rectangular operating-shatt The flanges. 29- oiithe bushings are of such width that thevlap the endS. of the pi l 18 and secure. the pin in. position. in the side members 20 0i the bracket. Mounted. on the. shaft 28 isa U-shape locking; member 30 having; arms 32 provided with. rectangular openings tomeceive the shaft 28v and oined, a connecting piece 33. the arms32 being-of such. lengththat Wh en. the locking member 30- is in theposition shown in Fig. 3 the connectingv piece. 33 will bear against the upper surface of the. latch member 15 so as to prevent the. latch men ber-being operated-by the pressure ofthegate against the vertical; portion 16. of thelatch member. As shown in Fig. 2the arms 32 of the locking member 30 which extend on. 0pposite. sides oi. the bracket 21,211.11 larekept from movementlongitudinally of the shafit 2-8, secure thev flan cred bushings 25in the openingzs 24 in the sides 20: of the. bracket while the. flan es 29:01 the bu shines secure the pin 18 in position; thus the latching mechanism. is held in assembled relationupon the insertion of the operating shaft. Rings 34 which. are mounted on the slides 36; engage. theoperating handles 38- of the shafts to hold the shafts in. theposition in which-thelateh men;-

bers 15 will be held against the bottom mem bers 9 of the gates.

The upper surface of each latch member 15 is curved and the inner portion upon which the connecting piece 33 bears has its center, when in closed position. in the axis of the shaft 28 while the outer portion has a shorter radius. Formingthe upper surface of the latch member of curves in this way provides an inner area or portion on which the con necting piece 33 will be retained even though it is not at the inner limit of its movement while the shorter radius of the outer portion of the latch provides a means which permits of the free movement of the locking member 30 to the release position once it ismoved from the inner portion of the latch member 15. It will be noted that when the latch member 15 is in the release position it bears against the shaft 28 and is held in a position, as shown in .dottedlines in Fig. 3. such that when the locking member 30 is raised from the release position.v as shown in dotted lines in the same figure bv rotation of shaft 28. the locking member 30 will engage the latch member 15 and return the latch member 15 to the gateholdine position as the locking member is brought to the locking position.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the pin 118 is provided with a head150 at one end and the sides 120 of the bracket 122 are provided with bosses 151 about the openings 124. the bosses 151 being recessed, as at 152 in Fig. 5, to provide openings for the head 150 of the pin 118. A flanged bushing 125 is used in one of the openings 124, the flange 129 engaging the head 150 and preventing: the withdrawal. of the pin 118 while the head 150 prevents withdrawal of the pin 118 in the opposite direction. The bushing 125 is provided with a rectanpular openinq to receive a rectangular shaft 128 upon which is mounted. the U-shape locking member 130. In this construction'reliance is placed upon a sinsrle bushing 125 at each of the latching mechanisms 14.to serve as bearings for the operating shaft 128 and in order that the brackets 122 may be used in any location. both sides 120 of the brackets are provided with bosses 151. which are recessed as at 152 to provide an opening for the pin 150.

' In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7. the shaft 228 is cylindrical and passes th roueh cvlindrical open ngs 224 in the sides 220 of the bracket 222 and has mounted thereon the U-shape locking member 230 which is fired to the shaft 228 hv pins 254 which pass through openinsrs'in the shaft 228 and the ends of the arms Mounted on the shaft 228 between the arms 232 of the lockine mem her 230 and the sides 220 of the bracket 222 are flat washers 258 of such dimensions that thevlap the ends of the pin 218 which pivotallv secures the latch member 215 to the bracket. In this construction as in the other modifications the latch member 215, when in release position, will bear against the shaft 228 and be held in position to be engaged by the locking member 230 and be moved from the release position to the gate-holding; posi- 11011 as the locking member operated to lockin; position.

In the modification shown in 8 and 9, the bottom member 9 is engaged by a latch member 315 pivotallv supported by a bolt 318 mounted in the sides 320 of a bracket secured to the side sill 1, one ofthe sides of the bracket being provided with a lug or projection 358 which serves as a stop to limit the movement of the latch member 315 when released. To operate the latch member 315 there is provided a shaft 328 iournaled in brackets 360 secured to the'side sill 1 and provided with U-shape portions 330 which engage with the latch member 315. In this. as in the other constructions, as the shaft 328 operates the U-shape or looking portion 330 of the shaft from the release position, shown in dotted lines. it will engage with the latch member 315 and move the latch member 315 to the gate-holding position as the locking; portion 330 of the shaft is brought to the locking position in which it engages with the upper portion of the latch member 315 as shown in Fig. 9.

It will be noted that in each of the structures the locking member or locking portion of the shaft is journaled inwardly of and below the axis of rotation of the latch member so that in the locking position the pressure of the gate on the latch member which tends to rotate the latching member about its pivot places the locking member in tension. It will also be noted that curving the inner portion of the upper surface of the latch member as described provides a construction in which the locking means will engage the latch so as to be placed in tension ,and-securelv-hold the latch even though the operating! shaft be slightly distorted and the locking means he displaced from the full locking position when the shaft is in the full locking position.

The operation of all of the constructions is the same in that operating the shaft to remove the locking member from the latch member will permit the pressure of the la dine against the grate to force the gate open. oper atiner the latch member to release position. Upon the discharge of the contents of the car the grate will ha'nrz in substantially a vertical position. whereupon operation of the lockin member to the locking position will cause the latch member to be returned to the grate-holding position. Placing the ring 34 upon the operating handle 38 will then secure the locking means in the locking position and secure the gate in closed position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a car. a gate pivotally mounted at its upper edge and adapted to swing to closed position by gravity, a pivotally mounted latch for said onto and a pivotally mounted locking means tor said latch mounted, inwardly of and below said latch.

In a car. a gate pivotally mounted at its upper edge and adapted to swing to closed position by gravity. a PliVOiitlltY mounted latch for d gate and a pivotally mounted locking me:. I iatch mounted inwardly of and below said ltitCll and adapted to operate said latch to holding position as said locking means moved to locking position.

3. In a car, a gate pi votally mounted at its upper edge and adapted to swing to closed position by gravity, a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a pivotally mounted U-shapc locking means for said latch. said locking means operating said latch to holding position. i Y

i. In a car, a gate. a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a pivotally mounted U-shapc locking means for said latch. said locking means being placed in tension by the pressure of said gate on said latch.

In :1. air, a gate. a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a pivotally mounted U-shape locking means for said latch. said h cliing means operating said latch to holding position and being placed in tension by the pressure of said gate on said latch.

(3. In a car. a gate, a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a U-shape locking means for sa'd latch pivotally mounted inwardly of and below said latch. said locking means being adapted to engage over said latch and be placed in tension by the pressure of said gate on said latch.

7. In a car a gate. a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a U-shape locking means ior said latch pivotallv mounted inwardly of and below said latch. said locking means being adapted to engage over said latch and to operate said latch to holding position as said locking means is operated to locking position.

8. In a car. a gate. a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a pivotally mounted locking means for sa d latch mounted inwardly of and below said latch. said locking means operating said latch to holding position as said lo l-zing means is moved to locking position and being placed in tension by the pressure of sain gate on said latch.

9. In a car. gate. a pivotally mounted latch for said gate and a U-shape locking means for sa d latch pivotally mounted inwardly of and below said latch. said atch bcnc. ope ated to holding position by the operation of said locking means to locking position a d ai l lt n f means engaging over 1 in tension by the said lat-ch an being plac d pressm'e of said ga e on said latch.

10. In a car a .Q'ato mounted at no!" u for sw nging movement pi lil its upper to closed n by gravity. and means for retaining said gate in closed position, comprising a unit having a pivotaliy mounted locking means, and a pivotally mounted latch, for engaging sat n gate arranged eccentrically with respect to said locking means and adapted to be engaged by said locking; means upon rotation of the latter.

11. In a car having a gate hingedly mounted. at its upper portion toswing LoclQsed position by gravity, locking means therefor comprising a unit carrying a. rotatable operating shaft. a loosely mounted latch and a lock element: said latch being mounted eccentricalhv of said operating shaft and said lock element being rotatable on substantially the same axis as the operating shaft and being so arranged as to operate, said latch to holding position upon rotation of said openating shaft.

12. In a car having a gate hingedly mounted at its upper portion to swing to closed position by gravity. a locking device for said gate comprising an operating shaft. means mounting said sha t and permitting rotation thereof. a latch carried by said mounting means. and a lock carried by said operating shaft and actuating said latch to holding position.

13. In a device of the kind described, a rotatable lock element and a latch element rotatable on an axis difl'erent than that of the lock element. said latch element having a bearing surfa e thereon formed on an arc the center of which is the center of rotation of the loci: element and being normally urged to rotate to tightly engage at the bearing surface with the loclr element to prevent release of the latch element.

14'. In a device of the kind described. a to tatahlc lock element and a latch element r0- tatable on an axis different than that of the lock element. said latch element having a bearing surface thereon formed on an arc the center of which is the center of rotation of the lock element and being normally urged to rotate to tightly engage at the bearing surface with the lock element to prevent relea e of the latch element regardless of the position of the lock element on the bearing surface.

15. In a car having a swinging gate. lock means therefor comprising a rotatable operating shaft. a lock element rotatable on the same axis as the operating shaft. and a latch element rotatable on a different axis than that of the operating shaft and having a portion thereof fo med on an arc the center of which is the operating shaft providing a. l-earing surface for the lock element. said latch element eing adapted to be normally urged o otate by said s ate wherehv to exert upward pres ure against the loci: element regardless of its position on the hearing surface to retain the latch element in engagement with he gate.

16. In a car, a vertically hung gate adaptlOO ed to swing to closed position by gravity, a rotatably mounted latch for the lower edge of the gate, and locking means for the latch placed in tension by the pressure of said gate on the latch.

17. In a car a side gate pivotally mounted at its upper edge to swing by gravity to closed position, and means for retaining the gate in closed position comprising a latch for said gate, locking means for said latch, and operating means for said locking means, said locking means actuating the latch to holding position and said locking means being placed in tension by the pressure of the gate on said latch.

18. In a car, a gate mounted at its upper portion for swinging movement and adapted to swing to closed position by gravity, and means for locking said gate in closed position comprising a unit having a rotatably mounted locking means and a rotatably mounted latch having its center of rotation eccentric with respect to the locking means and in such position as to engage the gate and to be engaged by the locking means upon rotation of the latter to retain the latch in engagement with said gate.

19. In a car, a gate mounted at its upper portion for swinging movement to closed position by gravity, means for retaining said gate in closed position comprising a pivotally mounted latch for said gate, and a U-shaped locking means for said latch pivotally mounted inwardly of and below said latch.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH C. ABEL. 

